Partitioned packs



April 7, 1959 K. R. PERSSON PARTITIONED PACKS 4 Shets-Sheet 1 Filed June17, 1957 April 7, 1959 K. R. PERSSON PARTITIONED PACKS Filed June 17,1957 Has 4Sheets-Sheet 2 April 7,1959 K. R. PERSSON PARTITIONED PACKS 4Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 17, 1957 mw um QQ v April 7, 1959 K. R.PERSSON 2,880,921

1 PARTITIONED PACKS Filed June 17, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 United StatesPatent PARTITIONED PACKS Karl Rune Persson, Laholmsvagen, Halmstad,Sweden,

assignor to Aktiebolaget Ahln & Akerlund Ft'irpackning, Halmstad,Sweden, a corporation of Sweden Application June 17, 1957, Serial No.666,156 Claims priority, application Sweden June 20, 1956 6 Claims. (Cl.229-28) The present invention relates to a partitioned pack orcollapsible carton comprising side walls and end walls foldablyinterconnected along side edge fold lines and being at their bottomedges along bottom edge fold lines foldably connected to bottom portionswhich in turn are along their inner end edges foldably connected tolongitudinal and transverse partition walls, said bottom portions andpartition walls being adapted to be folded up between the side and endwalls when last mentioned walls are folded to one of the diagonal planesextending between a pair of opposed side edge fold lines.

Such packs are usually designed so that several manual operations mustbe undertaken for setting up the pack into its position for use. Thisrequires a certain time and, moreover, often involves rather complicatedconnecting operations which for an unaccustomed person may be difficultto carry out in the correct way.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a partitionedpack which may be set up with a single grasp and so that the pack willbe then automatically partitioned. Another object is to provide partlyresilient fittings of the carton which is desired when keeping eggs orsimilar fragile bodies.

The pack according to the invention may be varied with respect to itsdetails in various ways within the scope of the principal constructionwhich is substantially characterized in that the transverse partitionwalls are each hingedly connected with a longitudinal partition wailalong a fold line substantially parallel to said side edge fold lines sothat said bottom portions and said partition walls are automaticallyurged downwardly to their respective positions of use or upwardlybetween said side and said end walls, respectively, when opening orclosing the frame formed by said side and said end walls.

These and other characteristic details and advantages of the inventionwill be more clearly disclosed in conjunction with the followingdescription of two embodiments of the pack according to the inventionshown by way of example in the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 shows a developed cut blank which after being folded forms thepack according to the invention. Fig. 2 shows the pack set up and seenfrom above. Fig. 3 shows a section along line 33 of Fig. 2, half of thepack being shown in a front view. Fig. 4 shows the pack seen from abovein a position between its set-up and collapsed states. Fig. 5 shows thepack in a bottom view in its set-up state according to Fig. 2. Fig. 6 isa perspective view of the pack in its set-up state and with an end walland a side wall omitted and the pack partly broken for the sake ofclarity. Fig. 7 is a development of the blank for forming the secondembodiment of pack according to the invention. Fig. 8 is a top view ofthe pack in its set-up posi tion, the cover and the extension flap ofthe left end wall beingswung up in their raised positions. Fig. 9 is asection along line 9--9 in Fig. 8, and Fig. 10 is a section along line1010 in Fig. 8 with the cover in its closed position.

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For the sake of simplicity reference is first had to the blank inFig. 1. In this figure as well as in Figs. 2-6, numerals 2, 4 denote theside walls of the pack and 1, 3 the end walls thereof, 5, 6, 7 and 8bottom portions, 10, 12 longitudinal and 9, 11 transverse partitionwalls, respectively, connected to the bottom portions along fold linesand separating the partitions of the pack. The side wall 2 is elongatedwith a cover 13. The side and end walls are integrally connected withthe bottom portions along bottom fold lines 14, 15, 16 and 17, andsimilar fold lines 18, 19, 20 and 21 are provided between the bottomportions and the partition walls.

The bottom portions 6 and 8 which are opposite each other when the packis set up, are formed substantially as isosceles trapezia which aredefined by the side edges 22, 23 and 24, 25, respectively, and theparallel fold lines 15, 19 and 17, 21, respectively. and 21 the bottomportions 6 and 8 extend into the longitudinal partition walls 10 and 12,respectively, which at one side are defined by fold lines 26 and 28,respectively. The fold lines 27 and 29 form flexible connections to thepartition wall extensions formed as end flaps 30 and 31, respectively.These end flaps have a height somewhat less than that of their partitionwalls, the transition being defined by an abutment 59 and 60,

respectively. To facilitate the folding operations of the' endflapsalong the fold lines 27 and 29, respectively, as

will be described in a following section of this specificar.

tion, a slit 32 and 33, respectively, runs from the lower edge of thelongitudinal partition wall along the fold line 27 and 29, respectively.Each longitudinal partition wall 10 and 12, respectively, is furtheroffset a certain distance inwardly on the edge of the short side edge ofthe bottom portion at the fold line 19 and 21, respectively.

At the end of the partition walls 10, 12 opposite to the end flaps 30,31 the partition walls are extended with end flaps 34, 35 which arefoldable along the fold lines 26, 28 and adapted to be secured at halfpart of the transverse partition walls 9 and 11, as seen from Figs. 2and 4.

The other pair of opposed bottom portions 5 and 7 are substantiallyrectangular, one side edge 36 and 37, respectively, however beingsomewhat obliquely cut inwardly so that it, as seen in Figs. 2 and 4,will freely pass the side wall 2 and 4, respectively, which is adjacentsaid side edge when setting up the pack. For the same reason,

corresponding transverse partition walls 9 and 11 are.

somewhat narrower at the fold line 18 and 20, respectively, than attheir outer ends.

The partition walls 9 and 11 are each provided with an opening 38 and39, respectively, having about the same height as the width of the endflaps 30, 31. The openings are defined by a straight side edge 40 and41, respectively, located approximately at the middle of thecorresponding partition wall and by a preferably arcuate side edge 42and 43, respectively, extending from the upper end of the straight edgeand downwardly to the fold line 18 and 20, respectively, forming thebottom edge of the opening.

The end walls 1,3 and the side wall 4 are further provided with cut-inportions 44, 45 and 46 and the end walls 1 and 3 are further providedwith supporting flaps 47 and 48 which can be folded along fold lines 49and 50, respectively. The cover can be folded along three fold lines 51,52 and 53. Moreover, at its free side edge the end wall 1 is providedwith a flap 54 to be pasted and secured at the free side edge of theside wall 4 for forming the closed frame of side and end walls, theframe being foldable along fold lines 55, 56, 57 and 58.

For assembling the blank to a folding pack all bottom portions andpartition walls are swung up respectively as one piece to thecorresponding side and end walls, and then end wall 1 and side wall 4are folded along fold At the fold lines 19.

lines 56 and 58, flap 54 being secured by pasting to the edge of sidewall 4. The end flaps 34 and 35 are then also secured by pasting tothat'half of the partition wall 9 and 11, respectively, located adjacentto the straight side edge 40 and 41, respectively. The mounting of thepack is then finished and the pack is in a flat state from which it maybe set up only by opening the frame formed by the side and end walls torectangular form with the bottom portions and partition walls in theirrespective positions, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

Through the hinged joints along the fold lines 26 and between thediagonally opposed pair of transverse and longitudinal partition walls9, 10 and 11, 12, respectively, the bottom portions will beautomatically urged down to their respective positions shown in Fig. 3when the side and end walls are displaced under their parallelogram-likeopening movement, as illustrated in Fig. 4. At the same time thepartition walls will evidently follow the downward movement of theirbottom portions and be et in tlgeir partition forming positions, as seenfrom Figs. 2' and Upon opening the pack from its flat collapsed state,

where the walls of the diagonally opposed pair of partitionwalls restfiat against each other, the longitudinal partition'walls 10 and 12 willform a n increasing angle to that transverse partition wall 9 and 11,respectively, with which they are hingedly joined, and on the parallelmovement of the partition walls 10 and 12 the same will be moved nearerto each other, the end flaps 30, 31 of the partition walls further beingsimultaneously moved in a direction towards the transverse partitionwalls 9 and 10. At a certain intermediate position the ends of these andflaps 30, 31 will abut against the transverse partition walls under anacute angle so that the end flaps 30, 31 will be caused to flex somewhatand their ends seek themselves inwardly to the joint 26 and 28,respectively, where they meet the arcuate side edges 42 and 43 of theopening 38 and 39, respectively, and project through the opening andguide against the arcuate edge, until the partition walls have reachedtheir end positions where the abutment edge 59 and 60, respectively, ofthe longitudinal partition walls 10 and 12 will rest against thetransverse partition walls 9 and 11 at the joint 26 and 28,respectively. I

When folding down the bottom portions the opposed bottom portions 6, 8are adapted to be brought to rest with their inner fold edges 19 and 21bearing against each other and at the same time with the other pair ofopposed bottom portions and 7 being folded down to test against the sideedges of the bottom portions 6, 8, as is most clearly illustrated inFig. 5. In cooperation with the guiding of the partition walls inresponse to the joints 26', 28 the bottom portions will lock each otheragainst further downward folding movement beyond a certain bottomposition, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5.

The bottom portions are so constructed that in this bottom positionopposed bottom portions 5, 7 and 6, 8, respectively, will form an angleto each other, as shown in Fig. 3, so that a certain resilient effect isobtained in the bottom of the pack.

For collapsing the pack it is only necessary to fold the side and endwalls together through parallel movement of the side walls 2 and 4,whereby the bottom portions and the partition walls will return to theiroriginalpositions between the side and end walls.

The supporting flaps 47, 48 are folded inwardly and the cover 13 in theset-up position of the pack can be swung down overthe partition walls toa resting position on. the supporting flaps.

The pack shown in Figs. 7-1 O is of the same principal construction asthe pack shown in Figs. 1-6 with respect same reference numerals withthe addition of an a to the.

reference numerals in Figs. 7-10, that is, 1a, 4a denote the ends walls,2a, 3a the side walls and so on. The pack in Figs. 7-10, however, doesnot have the details 27, 29, 32, 33, 44 and 45 of the embodiment inFigs. 1-6.

As will be seen from Figs. 7 and 10, the end fiaps 30a and 31a areformed as extensions of the partition walls 10a and 12a, respectively.At the lower edges of the end flaps they are provided each with ahook-like foot flap 61 and 62, respectively. For moving the end flap 31ato the position shown in Fig. 10, the bottom portion 5a has a wedge-likeopening 63 which forms an extension of the opening 38a of the transversepartition wall 9a. The opening 38a is also wedge-like with straight sideedges 40a, 42a. The bottom portion 7a has a similar wedge-like opening64. When setting up the pack the end flap 31a will accordingly be movedthrough the opening 38a, so that the foot flap 62 will abut against theedge of the narrow end of the opening 63. The foot flap then extendssomewhat below the bottom portion 5a and forms a supporting foot on theunderside of the pack. Furthermore, the end flap 30a and 31a,respectively, is locked at the narrow end of the opening 64 and 63,respectively, against movements to either side.

In order further to stabilize the pack the ends of the partition walls9a and 11a are provided with supporting flaps 65, 66 and 67, 68,respectively, which extend freely outside the fold lines 18a and 20a, sothat the extended portions directed downwardly from the respectivepartition wall at the set-up state of the pack will be directeddownwardly to the underlying bottom portion. The supporting flap 65 isshown by way of example in Fig. 9 where this flap is directed downwardlyagainst the bottom portion 8a and is extended to the vicinity thereof.These supporting flaps may also extend down to rest against the bottomportions as for example thesupporting flaps 66, 68. The end flaps 34aand 35a of the longitudinal partition walls 10a, 12a are also providedwith such supporting flaps 69 and 70 which are adapted to rest againstthe underlying bottom portions 6a and 7a, as shown in Fig. 9.

As in the embodiment of Figs. 1-6, the end flaps 34a and 35a are pastedto the transverse partition walls 9a and 11a, respectively. In order toascertain correct positioning when pasting for assembling the pack theend flap 35a of the partition wall 12a is connected with the transversepartition wall 11a by means of a connecting portion 71 which is foldablealong a fold line 72.

The supporting flap 66 of the partition wall 9a may in its turn beextended with a preferably foldable lock flap 73 which is adapted tocooperate with the side wall 2a when setting up the pack, so that thislock flap frictionally engages the side wall 2a to retain the pack inits set-up position.

The end walls In and 3a and the side wall 20 are furthermore providedwith shock absorbers 74, 75, 76 of the same principal design. For thesake of simplicity only the shock absorber 74 of the end wall 1a will bedescribed in the following.

As will be seen from Fig. 7, the flaps 47a, 48a and the cover 13a formextensions of the end walls 1a and 4a and of the side wall 2a,respectively, which are foldable along fold lines 49a, 50a and 52a to beswung in over, the partition walls.

The portion forming the shock absorber 74 is defined by two side edgeslots 77, 78 of which slot 78 forms a vent opening, and by two foldlines 79, 81 parallel to the fold line 49, a third fold line beingdisposed between the fold lines 79, .81. The line 79 is above and thelines 80, 81 are below the fold line 49a. When the flap 47a is folded inover the end flap 31a of the partition wall 12a to the position :shownin Fig. 10, the portion 74 will be automatically folded outwardly withthe intermediate line 80 and form the knee shown in Fig. 10

adjacent packs. in the same manner as the absorber 74 described above.

This lock flap 73 also serves to hold the end wall 1a in correctposition when pasting.

What I claim is:

1. In a collapsible container for the storage of eggs and like articlesformed from a single paper board blank having two parallel vertical sidewalls and two parallel vertical end walls hingedly connected to eachother to form a reactangular frame, each of said side walls having alongitudinal bottom wall hingedly connected at its upper edge to thelower edge thereof, each of said end Walls having a transverse bottomwall hingedly connected at its upper edge to the lower edge thereof, thelongitudinal bottom walls having longitudinal partition walls hingedlyconnected thereto along the bottom edges thereof and the transversebottom walls having transverse partition walls hingedly connectedthereto along the bottom edges thereof, one of said longitudinalpartition walls having a projecting end fiap at one end thereof and theother of said longitudinal partition walls having a projecting end flapat the diagonally opposite end thereof, each of said transversepartition walls having an opening centrally located therein, said bottomwalls and said partition walls being folded upwardly within the spacedefined by said rectangularly-arranged side and end walls with the endflaps of said longitudinal partition walls extending through theopenings of the adjacent transverse partition walls to divide thecontainer into six substantially equal compartments, the longitudinalpartition walls being contiguous; the invention wherein each of thelongitudinal partition walls has a glue flap hingedly connected theretoat the edge thereof opposite the end having the projecting end flap,said glue flap being folded about a hinge line normal to the hingeconnection of said partition wall to said bottom wall and being glued tothe adjacent transverse partition wall, the width of said bottom wallsbetween opposite horizontal edges being greater than half the length ofthe end walls so that the bottom walls will be inclined upwardly towardthe center of the container when said longitudinal partition walls comeinto contiguous engagement, and further wherein the longitudinal bottomwalls have a trapezoidal configuration with the edges thereof connectedto the side walls being longer than the edges thereof connected to saidlongitudinal partition walls, so that each transverse bottom wall restson two side edges of the longitudinal bottom walls.

2. A collapsible container as defined in claim 1 wherein said transversepartition walls have supporting flaps projecting at the ends thereofadjacent the hinge connection of said partition walls to the transversebottom walls, the lower horizontal edges of said supporting flaps beingseated upon the upper surfaces of said longitudinal bottom flaps whensaid container is in its erected condition.

3. A collapsible container as defined in claim 2 wherein at least one ofsaid transverse partition walls has a lock flap projecting from avertical edge thereof into engagement with the adjacent side wall of thecontainer for locking said container in its erected position.

4. A collapsible container as defined in claim 2 wherein at least one ofthe end flaps of said longitudinal partition walls is hingedly connectedwith the adjacent transverse partition wall.

5. A collapsible container as defined in claim 2 wherein the openings inthe transverse partition walls extend into wedge-like openings in thetransverse bottom wall portions, and further wherein the end flapsextending into said openings have hook-like projections at their loweredges adapted to enter the wedge-like opening of the respective bottomwall portion and to cooperate with the edge of the narrow end of saidopening.

6. A collapsible container as defined in claim 5 wherein said hook-likeprojection forms a supporting foot on the under side of the bottom ofthe container when the container is erected.

Crane Oct. 12, 1948 Metzger Mar. 19, 1957

